Handling device



March 19, i968 J. LE ROY REYNOLDS HANDL I NG DEVI CE Filed June 17, 1965 i wwf 56 ,0U e

United States arent Gtitice 3,374,024 HANDLING DEVlCE .lesse Le Roy Reynoids, Decatur, lll., assigner to Woare Builders Supply Company, Decatur, lll., a partnership Filed .lune 17, 1965, Ser. No. 464,752 6 Claims. (Cl. 29d- 16) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLSURE A handling device for flat panels is provided which includes a U-shaped recess within which is a plate which cooperates with one Side of the U to grip the panel. The plate is moved by a cam attached to the pivot of a handle which pivots upward and outward about a line parallel to the side of the U to which it is attached and perpendicular to the base of the U so that a workman standing on one side of the panel grips and lifts the panel in one movement.

This invention relates generally to handling deviceS and, more particularly, to a handling device especially adapted for clamping and manipulating large flat objects such as panels of plate glass, wallboard and the like.

Modern building design increasingly calls for the utilization of large continuous panels of various materials such as gypsum board, fiber board, plywood, plate glass and the like. Suchpanels as are presently produced are often too large and heavy for a single person to handle with ease. For example, gypsum board is typically delivered to a building site in bundles of two boards, each approximately 12 feet long, 4 feet wide and 5/s thick, which together weigh approximately 175 to 200 pounds. Handling of such panels is diiicult even for two or moe persons because they must be simultaneously grasped by the workmen, lifted and balanced, usually in a vertical position, and moved to the desired location.

Moreover, it is often inconvenient or impossible to transport such panels to their point of installation in a building by material handling equipment such as trucks or dollies because the size of such equipment renders it incapable of passing through doorways or between adjacent wall studs of the structure. In fact, it is often necessary for such Apanels to be moved between adjacent studs which are so close together that even workmen cannot walk between them carrying the panels.

As a result, it is often necessary for such panels to be held generally in a vertical position and for their ends to be successively transferred from one workman to another workman located on the other side of a set of wall studs in a building. This procedure is inconvenient and cumbersome because it is extremely difficult for both workmen to simultaneously be in the best position for grasping the panel in a vertical position, lifting the panel and moving it hoizontally between the studs. Accordingly a need has arisen for a handling device adapted for use with such panels which will facilitate manually lifting, balancing and transporting them and which is pan ticularly adapted to facilitate the movement of such panels through sets of wall studs to desired locations.

It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide an improved device adapted to securely hold large panels while they are being handled.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved handling device adapted to securely hold large fiat panels in a generally vertical position especially while they are being carried and transferred from one person to another and while they are being moved through spaces which are too small for the person carrying them to enter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for handling an object in which a lifting force applied to the device automatically causes the object to be securely clamped by the device.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a handling device which will securely clamp on an object for lifting it but which can be easily and quickly disengaged from the object.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a handling device which is adapted to hold at panels of a variety of materials and thicknesses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a handling device for holding, lifting and moving panels which is economical to construct and simple to operate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in conjunction with the acompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a panel on which are operatively positioned a pair of handling devices showing various of the features of the invention;

FGURE 2 is a detailed elevational view of one of the handling devices shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the handling device shown in FIGURE 2 taken along line 3--3 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view of the device shown in detail in `FlGURES 2 and 3 showing alternate positions of the handle member;

FIGURE 5 is a detailed sectional view taken along line S- of FIGURE 2; and

FGURE 6 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 5 but showing the positions of the parts when an object lis clamped.

As shown in the drawings the present invention generally comprises a handling device 10l adapted to be releasably clamped to a substantially flat panel 12 to assist in the lifting and transporting of the panel, particularly when it is in a generally vertical position. It will be understood that the panel will usually be slightly tipped from the vertical and the orientation of various parts of the `device in operation will not be exactly horizontal or vertical. However for ease and clarity of description the words horizontal and vertical will ordinarily be used hereinafter to designate a substantial or general orientation in such planes.

Furthermore, the handling device is especially useful when utilized in pairs, each member of which is a mirror image of the other, as shown in FIGURE 1, so that workmen holding the panel 'at opposite ends may stand on the same side of the panel and thus be able to see each other without diiculty regardless of the size of the panel. The operation of the device will be described in connection with such a pair but it is to be understood that pairs of identical devices or even one device alone might be used in appropriate circumstances.

The handling device 10 generally includes 'a framework 14 having a horizontal cross section in the general form of the letter U thereby defining a vertically extending recess `l5, closed at one end and open at the other end, adapted to receive the panel 12. A portion of the framework 14 defining one side of the recess 15 cooperates with a plate 17 disposed within the recess to define opposed jaws which, when spread, are positioned on opposite sides of a panel disposed within the recess. A handle 18 is mounted on one side of the framework 14 outside of the recess 15 and means are provided, as hereinafter described in detail, whereby a lifting force applied to the handle 18 rotates the handle to the position shown in phantom in FIGURE 4 and causes the plate 17 to be moved so as to clamp the panel 12 between the Jaws.

More specifically, the framework 14 preferably comprises two L-shaped members 19 and 20 defined by legs 21 and 22 which extend generally transversely from foreshortened bases 23 and 24 and positioned with their legs 21 and 22 parallel and in spaced relation to each other and with their bases 23 and 24 overlapping each other so that the framework in horizontal cross section has the shape of the letter U. The members 19 and 20 are preferably interconnec-ted so that the width of the recess may be varied depending upon the thickness of the panels with which the device is to be used. As illustrated, the member 19 has a base 23 which is longer than the base 24 of the other `member 26 and is provided with vertically spaced horizontal slots 26. The base 24 of the other member 2t) is provided with vertically spaced screw holes (not shown) positioned so as to be alignable with the slots 26 in the rst mentioned member 19. Screws 30 extend from the closed end of the recess 15 through the holes in the base 24 of the member 2i) and the slots 26 and are tightened by wing nuts 31 on the outside of the framework 14. The width of the recess 15 is determined by the position of the screws 30 in the slots 26 and different recess widths for clamping panels of different thicknesscs may thus be provided by loosening the wing nuts 31, moving the screws 30 to the desired positions in the slots 26 and tightening the wing nuts. Calibration markings 32 may, if desired, be provided adjacent the slots, as shown in FIGURE 4, so that the proper position of the screws for any particular thickness of panel may be easily determined.

The plate 17 is disposed within the recess 15 defined by the legs 21 and 22 of the members 19 'and 20 and, as illustrated, is attached to the leg 22 of the framework member and cooperates with the leg 21 of the member 19 to form jaws for grasping the panel. Of course the reverse arrangement would also be possible. In any event, the leg of the framework lmember to which the plate member is attached, the leg 22 of the member 20 in the illustrated embodiment, is provided with a central cam aperture 33 through which the plate 17 is engaged to move it in the direction of the opposing leg 21. In order to improve the contactbetween the plate 17, the leg 21 of the member 19 and the panel 12, the opposing surfaces of the plate and leg are provided with a covering layer 34 which is of a resilient material having a high coefficient of friction such as, for example, rubber. The resiliency of the covering 34 protects the surface of the panel from being scratched by the Ihard surfaces of the plate 17 and leg 21. The outer or opposing surfaces of the covering layers are preferably roughened and this factor, coupled with ythe nature of the material, lessens the possibility that the panel will slide relative to the jaws. 'Provision of such a covering 34 is most important when glass panels are to be handled because of their fragility but i-t is useful with panels of almost any material.

Insertion of the panel between the jaws, i.e., the plate 17 and the leg 21, is facilitated by the provision of end edge portions 36 and 3S respectively of the jaws which diverge from each other to define a 4mouth at one end of the recess. Thus, if the jaws 17 and 21 are not exactly aligned with the sides of the panel as they are moved toward the panel, the diverging end portions 36 and 38 will meet the edge of the panel and guide the jaws into the proper position about the panel. The leg 22 of the member 20 to which the plate is attached is desirably slightly shorter than the leg 21 of the other member 19 so that the diverging end portions 36 and 38 may be located at the same distance from the closed end of the recess.

The plate member 17 is 4attached to the leg 22 of the member 20 in such manner as to permit limited movement of the -plate toward and away from the leg of the member 20 by means of a plurality of spindles 40 in the form of bolts which extend through and have a sliding lit with suitably placed spindle holes 42 in the leg 22 of the adjacent niem'befr 2t?. As shown, there are two such spindles near diagonally opposed corners of the leg of the member but if desired more spindlesrcould be provided. Each of the spindles 40 has an expansion spring 44 mounted thereon on the side of the leg 22 opposite the plate 17 and a spring stop or nut 46 on its end. The springs 44 tend to separate the nut 46 and the leg 22 and thereby bias the plate 17 toward the leg 22 of the framework member 2i! to which it is attached and away from the opposing jaw defining leg 21 of the member 19.

The handle 18 is attached to the outer face of the leg 22 of the member 20 and, as illustrated, includes a generally iiat base 48 mounted on the member 20 by suitable means such as the illustrated screws 52. The base 48 includes a central cam hole 54 which is aligned with the aperture 33 in the leg 22 of the framework member 20. On each side of the cam hole 4 is an arch 56 which, in cooperation with the leg of the member 20 provides a horizontal pivot `channel 58 parallel to the leg of the member. As illustrated, above the pivot channel S8 and on the opposite side of the arches 56 from the cam hole 54 are projections or handle stops 59 which are provided for a `purpose which will `be described below.

The remainder of the handle member comprises a handle frame 60 defined by a rod suitably shaped to provide a generally rectangular loop. The frame includes a pivot rod 62 forming one side of the loop and rotatably mounted in the pivot channel 58. Forming the opposite side of the loop is a gripping piece 64 which desirably is in the form of a conventional handle grip. The pivot rod 62 .and gripping piece 64 are joined at their ends by connecting portions 66 which are positioned in the same vertical planes as the handle stops 59 and which therefore are adapted to contact the stops 59 if the handle frame 6d is rotated upward to a suiiicient extent, thereby preventing further rotation of the handle frame 60.

As previously mentioned, the device 10 is so formed that rotation of the handle frame 60 to the position shown in phantom in FIGURE 4, its position when a panel is being lifted by the device, causes movement of the plate 17 into engagement with panel 12 to clamp the panel between the leg 21 of the member 19 and the plate 17. In the illustrated embodiment, this is Iaccomplished by providing the pivot rod 62 with an eccentric cam 68 adjacent to the cam hole 54 of the base and cam aperture 33 of the framework member 20. The cam 68 is proportioned and arranged so that it enters and extends progressively into the hole and aperture, and thereby engages and displaces the plate 17 as the handle frame 60 is rotated from the position shown in full lines in FIGURES 4 and 5, to its horizontal position, as shown in phantom in FIGURE 4 and in full lines in FIGURE 6. The horizontal spindles 40 extending through the spindle holes 42, guide the plate 17 so as to cause it to move horizontally as it is forced away from the leg 22 of the member 2G and toward the leg 21 of the other member 19 against the force exerted by the expansion springs 44.

Operation of the device will now be described in connection with the use of the two devices illustrated in FIG- URE 1, which are mirror images of each other, to grasp a large panel, since this is the preferred mode of operation. In such operation, the wing nuts 31 of each device are loosened and the screws 36 are moved to the proper position in the slots 26 for grasping a panel 12 of the thickness which it is desired to handle. This may be done most conveniently `by utilizing the calibration markings 32 adjacent the slots. When the screws 30 are in the proper position the wing nuts 31 are tightened, thereby fixing the width of the recess 15. With the handle frame 60 of each device in its vertical position and the cam 68 out of contact with the plate 17 so that the plate is thereby urged away from the leg 21 of the member 19 by the springs 44, the devices 10 are then placed in position for grasping the vertical ends of the panel 12. This is accomplished by holding the framework 14 with the recess 15 vertical and by positioning the framework so that the plate 17 and the leg 21 of the member 19 forming the other jaw are on opposite sides of the panel and so that the closed end of the recess is adjacent the end of the panel. This operation is facilitated by the diverging end portions 36 and 33 which help to guide the framework into position around the edge of the panel. Preferably the devices are each positioned in the same horizontal plane on the panel and above the center of -gravity of the panel so that when the panel is supported only by the handling devices it will be stable. i

The gripping piece 64 of each device is then grasped by a workman and lifted, thereby pivoting the handle frame 60 from its vertical position to its horizontal position. This pivotal motion causes the eccentric cam 68 to contact the plate 17 through the cam hole 54 and aperture 33 and force it away from the leg 22 of the member 20 and into contact with the panel, as guided by the spindles 4t) moving in the spindle holes 42. The panel is thus clamped between the plate 17 and the leg 21 of the opposite framework member 19. When the handle frames 60 have been rotated approximately 90 and sufli-cient upward force is exerted on the gripping pieces 64, their movement is halted either by the frictional force exerted by the plate member 17 on the cam 68 or by the connecting portions 66 contacting the stops 59. When the upward force equals the weight of the handling devices 10 and the panel 12 they wiil be lifted upward. After the panel is removed from any support other than that of the handling devices, the forces on the panel will be the lifting force and the weight of the panel which will cause a slight rotation of the panel until its center of gravity is directly below the effective point of application of the lifting f-orce but the orient-ation of the panel will be substantially vertical. When the panel 12 is thus grasped at each end by the handling device 10 it is relatively simple for a workman standing on one side of a `set of closely spaced wall studs to transfer the gripping piece 64 to another workman on the other side of the set of wall studs who may then move the panel through the set. The workman need only be in a physical position such that he can obtain a steady grip on and exert an upward force on the gripping piece and need not be concerned with grasping or balancing the panel.

It will be seen that the above-described handling device provides a simple and effective means for grasping, lifting and carrying large at panels, especially in situations where it is necessary or desirable to transfer the panel from one workman to another. Furthermore, the device may be easily constructed utilizing standard items of hardware.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the above described handling device without departing from the present invention. For example the jaws coul-d be covered with a variety of appropriate materials and the parts could be constructed in various forms, all of which would fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention, various features of which are set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A handling device comprising a framework comprising a pair of generally parallel members and a base transverse thereto defining a recess open on three sides to receive a flat panel larger than said recess, a plate member disposed within said recess movably attached to one of said members of said framework and sufficiently spaced from the other member of said framework to permit the panel to be inserted between said plate member and said other member, a handle member movably attached to said one member of said framework on the side thereof opposite said recess and including a pivot member and a gripping member, said handle member being pivotable about a pivot line parallel to the plane of said plate and perpendicular to said base from a first position substantially parallel to the plane of said plate member to a second position substantially perpendicular to the plane of said plate member -by movement of said gripping member' away from said plate, and cam means attached to said pivot member responsive to the motion of said handle member from said rst position to said second position for engaging Said plate member and urging same toward said other member of said framework so as to clamp the panel between said plate member and said other member, so that when said panel is in a vertical position in said recess, said pivot line is horizontal, and said gripping member is disposed below said pivot member, upward movement of said gripping member away from said plate moves said handle member from said first position to said second position to both clamp and lift `said panel.

2. A handling device comprising a framework comprising a pair of generally parallel members and a base transverse thereto defining a recess open on three sides to receive a flat panel larger than said recess, a plate member disposed within said recess movably attached to one of said members of said framework and sutiiciently spaced from the other member of said framework to permit the panel to be inserted between. said plate member and said other member, a handle member movably attached to said one member of said framework on the side thereof opposite said recess and including a pivot member and a gripping member, said handle member lbeing pivotable about a pivot line parallel to the plane of said plate and perpendicular to said base from a first position Substantially parallel to the plane of said plate member to a second position substantially perpendicular to the plane of said plate member by movement of said gripping member away from said plate, cam means attached` to said pivot member responsive to the motion of said handle member from said first position to said second position for engaging said plate member and urging same toward said other member of said framework so as to clamp the panel between said plate member and sai-d other member, and means responsive to the motion of said handle member from said second position to said rst position for moving said plate member away from said other member of said framework so as to` release the panel, so that when said panel is in a vertical position in said recess, said pivot line is horizontal, and said gripping member is disposed 4below said pivot member, upward movement of said gripping member away from said plate moves said handle member from said first position to said second position to both clamp and lift said panel and support of the panel by other means to permit said gripping member to be moved downward releases the panel.

3. A handling device comprising a framework comprising a pair of generally parallel members and a base transverse thereto -dening a vertical recess open on three sides to receive a flat panel larger than said recess, one of said members having a central cam aperture and a plurality of spindle apertures extending therethrough, a plate member disposed within said recess movably attached to said one of said members of said framework and sufficiently spaced from the other member of said framework to permit the panel to be inserted between said plate member and said other member, a plurality of spindles attached to said plate member and extending through said spindle apertures so as to guide said plate member in a horizontal direction, a handle member movably attached to said one member of said framework on the side thereof opposite said recess and including a pivot member and a gripping member, said handle member being pivotable about a pivot line parallel to the plane of said plate and perpendicular to sai-d base from a first position substantially parallel to the plane of said plate member to a second position substantially perpendicular to the piane of said plate member by movement of said gripping member away from said plate, said handle member including a cam attached to said pivot member adjacent to Said cam aperture, said cam being adapted to enter said cam aperture, engage said plate member and `urge same toward said other member of said framework when said handle member is moved from said first position to said second position so as to clamp the panel between said plate member and said other member, and spring means mounted on said spindles for moving said plate member away from said other member of said framework when said handle member is moved from said second position to said first position so as to release the panel, so that when said panel is in a vertical position in said recess, said pivot line is horizontal, and said gripping member is disposed below said pivot member, upward movement of said gripping member away from said plate moves said handle mem'ber from said first position to said second position to both clamp and lift said panel and support of the panel by other means to permit said gripping member to be moved downward releases the panel.

4. A handling device comprising a framework comprising a pair of generally parallel members and a base transverse thereto defining a recess open on three sides to receive a flat panel larger than said recess, said members being attached to each other and movable relative to each other transversely to said recess, said base comprising two overlapping flanges each rigidly attached to one of said parallel members, means for adjusting the relative positions of said flanges over a continuous range of values to adjust the width of said recess over a continuous range, and means for rigidly fixing said anges to one another, a plate member disposed within said recess movably attached to one of said members of said framework and sufficiently spaced from the other member of said framework to permit the panel to be inserted between said plate member and said other member, a handle member pivotally attached to said one member of said framework on the side thereof opposite said recess and including a pivot member and a gripping member, said handle member being pivotable about a pivot line parallel to the plane of said plate and perpendicular to said base from a first position substantially parallel to the plane of said plate member and a second position substantially perpendicular to the plane of said plate member by movement of said gripping member away from said plate and cam means attached to said pivot member responsive to the motion of said handle member from said first position to said second position for engaging said plate member and urging same toward said other member of said framework so as to clamp the panel between said plate member and said other member, so that when said panel is in a vertical position in said recess, said pivot line is horizontal, and said gripping member is disposed below said pivot member, upward movement of said gripping member away from said plate moves said handle member from said rst position to said second position to both clamp and lift said panel.

5. A handling device comprising a framework comprising a pair of generally parallel members and a base transverse thereto defining a vertical recess open on three sides to receive a flat panel larger than said recess, a plate member disposed within said recess movably attached to one of said members of said framework and suiiciently spaced from the other member of said framework to permit the panel to be inserted between said plate member and said other member, said plate member and said other -member having end portions at their extremities at one end of said recess which end portions diverge from each other, a handle member movably attached to said one member of said framework on the side thereof opposite said recess and including a pivot member and a gripping member, said handle member being pivotable about a pivot line parallel to the plane of said plate and perpendicular to said base from a rst position substantially parallel to the plane of said plate member to a second position substantially perpendicular to the plane of said plate member by movement of said gripping member away from said plate, and cam means attached to said pivot member responsive to the motion of said handle member from said first position to said second position for engaging said plate member and urging same toward said other member of said framework so as to clamp the panel between said plate member and said other member, so that when said panel is in a vertical position in said recess, said pivot line is horizontal, and said gripping member is disposed below said pivot member, upward movement of said gripping member -away from said plate moves said handle member from said first position to said second position to both clamp and lift said panel.

6. A handling device comprising a framework comprising a pair of generally parallel members and a -base transverse thereto defining a recess open on three sides to receive a fiat panel larger than said recess, a plate member disposed within said recess movably attached to one of said members of said framework and sufficiently spaced from the other member of said framework to permit the panel to be inserted between said plate member and said other member, said plate member and said other member each including on their opposed faces a protective layer of resilient material, a handle member movably attached to said one member of said framework on the side thereof opposite said recess and including a pivot member and a gripping member, said handle member being pivotable about a pivot line parallel to the plane of said plate and perpendicular to said base from a first position substantially parallel to the plane of said plate member to a second position substantially perpendicular to the plane of said plate member by movement of said gripping member away from said plate, and cam means attached to said pivot member responsive to the motion of said handle member from said tirst position to said second position for engaging said plate member and urging same toward said other member of said framework so as to clamp the panel between said plate member and said other member, so that when said panel is in a vertical position in said recess, said pivot line is horizontal, and said gripping member is disposed below said pivot member, upward movement of said gripping member away from said plate moves said handle member from said first position to said second position 'to both clamp and lift said panel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,297,539 3/1919 Bull 269-236 X 1,479,711 1/1924 Haarberg 294-16 X 1,982,225 11/1934 Miller 294-103 X 2,776,856 1/1957 Ingram 294-16 FOREIGN PATENTS 368,284 5/ 1963 Switzerland.

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. 

